To buy or not to buy? What do you think?

[Shiggknight]

I went to my LFS today to pick up my first fish for my 90 gallon tank and they are in QT right now 20L. I got a pair of clowns and they are happy healthy and eating in QT.

I have a ammonia badge, HOB filter, and about 10 Marine Pure spheres. I dosed with Dr. Tim’s one and only 24 hours before I got my clowns.

The question is.

They had a purple tang there about 1.5 -2” for 175 and it’s been there about a week and is in a copper dosed system. I don’t want to pass up on this deal!!! Would you buy him and add him to the QT tank or pass and find another later on down the road?

Thanks for your advice guys and gals

 

[Gareth elliott]

i would pass purple tangs can be quite aggressive and in 90 gallon this behavior will likely be exaggerated limiting your ability to add fish in the future, IMO.

 

[JoshO]

Pass! They will always be more fish in the future

 

[Shiggknight]

Yes but he is very small. Smaller than the clowns I just got today. It would take him a couple of years to be a formidable opponent for anyone. Plus I’ll have more than just the clowns and him in the tank his aggression will be on many fronts.

 

[Euphyllia97]

Different opinions, but I would say you could go for it. Purple tang will not be overly agressive as long as you don’t add any other tangs (Especially the same color or family, Zebrasoma). Continue the QT and enjoy its colors!

 

[JoshO]

Make sure you're adding fish slowly over a decent period of time, chucking loads in at once or over even a month will cause ammonia spikes and likely kill fish

 

[Shiggknight]

Make sure you're adding fish slowly over a decent period of time, chucking loads in at once or over even a month will cause ammonia spikes and likely kill fish

Agree I have an extra one and only to combat any ammonia spike that may arise and can administer quickly with notification of the ammonia badge.

 

[Shiggknight]

Bump I need more opinions for me to make a more educated decision.

 

[pcon]

I’m in the 6ft for a tang camp. In my opinion there are other more interesting fish that are a better fit for a 90gal. And generally a tang should be among the last fish added to a tank. So I would say don’t do it. I have been tempted to do so myself before but it’s not an advisable move in my opinion. Dwarf angels can give a similar body shape and similar or more vibrant colors.

 

[Gareth elliott]

Agree with @pcon, i love dwarfs! Imo have much more enjoyable personalities to tangs, as well as some being full of color.

If not looking at keeping acans and other similar fleshy lps, Centropyge bispinosa come in varying levels of blue and purple.
Mine was a model reef citizen. Was tank boss but not overly aggressive, would still add last on your stocking as each fish’s mileage may vary. Can also score a biota captive bred for around $90-120, wild for about $40-60.

Size of fish really doesn’t determine aggressiveness, my
Centropyge flavicauda Goes after all new additions, its 1.75 inches long. Once a territorial fish feels comfortable in its surroundings it wants to protect its nook. Ive had fire fish chase clowns when they got too close to its borrow entrance. Add To that the smaller the space the more this aggressive behavior is apparent. So an already very aggressive fish, like a purple tang, will likely be even more so in a smaller footprint. That while it may still have active swimming room for 3 years in a 90 as it grows. Its territorial nature will likely come out in 3 months.

 

[Greg P]

I'll say don't get the tang, unless you plan on adding copper to your QT with your current clowns.
Once a fish is in copper at the LFS, and probably not high enough levels to be therapeutic, you'll run into troubles if you don't keep it up.
You could end up losing all 3 fish if you don't up the copper to a proper regime.

 

[Shiggknight]

What if I set up my other QT for just the purple tang and dose copper?

 

[Dilan Patel]

I say get the tang...but i guess thats because I don't quarantine, but if the fish looks visibly and physically healthy I would get him. Heck I break the rules all the time I put a powder blue tang in years after I put in a yellow and clown tang. They all are doing just fine.

 

[nereefpat]

They had a purple tang there about 1.5 -2” for 175 and it’s been there about a week and is in a copper dosed system. I don’t want to pass up on this deal!!!

Why is it a deal?

 

[Shiggknight]

Don’t have to deal with shipping a purple tang and it was 199$